Secrets Uncovered
by Hefalump123
Summary: It's the last day of the Christmas holiday's and everyone's enjoying a dinner. Sirius notices a scar on the back of Harry's hand, and it looks strangely like writing... Set in Order or the Phoenix. Two-shot. Blood Quill.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **Hi! I've been reading fanfiction for a while but I've never actually written one before, so I thought I'd try it out. I know there's a few other's like this out there, but i've always wondered how Sirius would react if he found out what happened in Harry's detentions, so I thought i'd give it a go!

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Nobody would say dinners at Number 12 were ever uneventful affairs. Admittedly, it was usually something to do with Fred and George, or maybe even Mundungus, rather than anything too serious, but they were eventful none the less.

It was a rather cheerful dinner for the standards of the Order. Mad-Eye had thoroughly depressed everyone with talk of the first war and Ginny and Ron had got into an argument over something or other, but Mrs Weasley hadn't exploded at anyone yet, which meant a cheerful meal in most people's book.

Harry, however, was feeling down - not only with the thought of going back to Umbridge's tight regimes, but the looming prospect of Occlumency lessons with Snape. It was hard enough to ignore his sneers and thinly veiled insults in a full dungeon, but one to one? It was going to be a nightmare. He sighed loudly and stared into the depths of his bowl, letting the conversations and arguments of the others wash over him.

"Harry? Are you alright?" Ginny's voice snapped him out of his brooding and he turned to face her, pulling an unconvincing looking smile onto his face. She was frowning slightly and looking intently into his face.

"I'm fine." He replied false brightly. "Just tired, you know. Not really looking forward to tomorrow much either." Harry looked away from her searching gaze and straight into Hermione's, who was opposite him and looked anxious. She immediately turned away and struck up a conversation with Tonks and Lupin.

He scowled and started attacking his apple crumble with vigor a tight knot of anger forming in his belly. This wasn't the first time this had happened. Ever since he'd witnessed the attack on Mr Weasley he'd suffered worried sideways glances and Hermione suddenly looking away every now and then when he looks to her. He knew why of course, he wasn't ignorant of the conversation she'd had with Ron yesterday…

_Harry was just about to push open the door of his and Ron's room when he hesitated, hearing low murmurings inside. He silently moved closer so the door, listening._

_ "Ron! You can't just ignore this - you need to talk to him!" Hermione voice hissed, sounding frustrated._

_ Ron groaned, apparently they'd had this conversation before. "I don't see why, he seems fine since Ginny talked him out of thinking he was possessed. I mean, it's not like he's had any more dreams is it. Just… just leave him be for a while okay. Let him breathe a bit."_

_Harry couldn't help but feel grateful. He knew Ron didn't understand exactly what was up, but he got that Harry just needed to mull it over for a bit. Get his head straight. He was just about to turn round, re-walk up the stairs noisily and go into the room when Hermione spoke again._

_"For goodness sake Ron! We both know he's still scared to go to sleep! I can't talk to him; he'll think I'm nagging, but_ _please_ _Ron," her voice lowered so much Harry had to press his ear to the door to hear her. "I'm worried about him." Her voice sounded oddly thick, and Harry realized with a shock that she was fighting back tears. He didn't wait to hear Ron's reply, but turned and made his way slowly back down the stairs._

It was hard to stay angry with Hermione when he knew she was so worried about him. The truth was, although he was still dreaming about that stupid corridor, a new nightmare was featuring in his sleep now. He couldn't remember the exact details, but what he could recall was endless amounts of blood dripping from the back of his hand – the '_I must not tell lies'_ red and pulsating. He wasn't sure why it was suddenly such a prominent element in his nightmares, for he was never afraid in his detentions. Angry - yes, but fearful… not so much.

A shock of pain shot through his scar and his hand jumped to it. He was starting to worry that it was becoming more sensitive – that it was not responding only to Voldemort's anger, but his own too. Almost like him and Voldemort had started merging… Harry shivered and rubbed his scar with his fingertips.

Out of nowhere a hand shot out and grabbed his left wrist, making him jerk away into Ginny. He heard her gasp and her drink splash and spill slightly. He looked up from the hand around his wrist and arrived at Sirius' furious eyes. They were boring into the back of his hand, reading the red scabbed writing.

Silence had fallen around the table.

"Sirius?" Lupin said after a moment, his voice full of confusion. "What are you doing? Let him go."

Harry, who had realized almost at once what Sirius was seeing, ignored Lupin and didn't look away from his Godfather. He could feel the heat rising in his face and shifted slightly, the grip on his wrist was painful. He regretted it immediately, for Sirius' eyes left the back of his hand and met Harry's.

"Where did you get this?" He asked, shaking Harry's wrist slightly. His voice was gruff and laced with rage. Harry couldn't help but edge away slightly. Sirius repeated his question, but slower, each word more pronounced.

He could see Fred or George shuffling in their seat; trying to see what had got Sirius so mad. The back of Harry's neck was burning and he knew he was giving the Weasley blush a run for its money.

"Sirius." His voice was low, pleading. "Sirius it's nothing. I just – It's just –" He didn't know what to say, he couldn't pass it off as an accident when it very clearly wasn't. "It's nothing." He repeated and tugged on Sirius' grip, but his hold remained tight. Their eyes locked and they both remained stock still for a few seconds, both of their bodies tense all over.

Lupin rose from his seat and Harry's head whipped round to him, grateful for the excuse to look away from Sirius. He wasn't so grateful, however, when he started making his way round the table towards them.

"Let go of him, Sirius." He said softly, and Sirius, to Harry's surprise, did. Harry drew back his arm, fist clenched. He could see the white marks on his wrist where Sirius' fingers had been slowly start to fill in with colour again. Lupin took Harry's hand in his and stared and it for a few tense moments before releasing him.

"That is not nothing Harry. Who did this to you?" He tried to look Harry in the eye, but he looked away.

Hermione cleared her throat and Harry raised his eyes to meet hers. They were very wide and were darting between Harry, Lupin and Sirius. "Harry, I think –" She stopped, her voice high and tense. She cleared her throat again and carried on in a more normal, if not slightly scared, pitch. "I think you should tell them Harry." He glanced around the rest of the table and saw his friends' worried (and curious) expressions. His gaze landed on Ron who nodded slightly.

He sighed and looked back to his Godfather and Lupin. They were still watching him expectantly. "Well?" Sirius asked sharply.

Harry rose to his feet and gestured for the two men to follow him out into the hall.

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**A/N: ** I was going to do some more in Ginny's point of view, but I wasn't really sure what to write. Please review! Would like some constructive criticism :)


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **Hey everyone! I'm really sorry it's taken so long for me to update again. I just had writers block for this chapter and really couldn't think of what to write! I hope it's okay, i'm not really sure if i'm too happy with how this turned out, but i'll let you guys decide!

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As soon as the door clicked closed behind them Harry heard the low mutterings inside. He couldn't help but scowl. Didn't Hermione understand this was why he hadn't wanted to tell anyone? Now they'd all be talking about him – trying to get her and Ron to tell them what was going on. He wouldn't put it past Fred and George to get the extendable ears out.

With this thought in his mind, he climbed the stairs and went into his and Ron's room with Sirius and Lupin on his tail. Harry sat on his bed and Lupin sat on Ron's. Sirius, however, closed the door behind him and leant against it, tapping his foot against the floor. Harry stared at it for a moment.

"Look." He began. "This really isn't as bad as it looks-" But he stopped when he saw Sirius' expression.

"'Not as bad as it looks?'" He yelled. "Tell me how it looks to you then Harry, because we must be seeing something different. To me it looks like someone has carved into the back of your hand!"

Harry looked down at his knees and searched his mind to find something to say that could improve the situation. How could he explain to Sirius that it wasn't that someone actually wanted to hurt him – it was just a test of wills. Umbridge wanted to break him, but he wasn't going to give her the satisfaction. As soon as he complained he knew she would have won.

Harry heard the sheets on the other bed rustling and he looked to Lupin. He was looking at Harry with a thoughtful look on his face.

"Harry, you know using the blood quill on people underage is illegal, right?"

Harry started. So Umbridge was breaking the law? It shouldn't surprise him really, but Harry found it hard to believe that she was so bold to break the law right under Dumbledore's nose. Was it bad enough of an offence to go to Askaban for, or was it just fine-worthy? Either way, it would probably be enough to get her fired. He'd opened his mouth to voice his questions when Lupin spoke again.

"If a student is forcing you to use one, Harry, you need to tell Professor McGonagall - if not for yourself for others. Do you know if anyone else is using it?"

Ah, this could get a little tricky. "Um, it's not exactly..." He stopped, glanced nervously at Sirius, then took a breath and blurted it out. "It's not a student who's forcing me to." His godfather was staring at him, anger morphing to confusion.

"If it's not a student, who is it then? Someone in Hogsmeade?" When Harry didn't answer right away Sirius sighed moved away from the door to sit on Harry' other side. "Harry, please. If someone's hurting you I _need _to know."

Sirius' eyes were staring pleadingly into his own. Harry sighed.

"Listen, Sirius. Before I tell you this, I want you to promise to me that you won't do anything stupid." Harry said. Sirius' brows drew together for a moment, but after a look from Lupin, he agreed. "In my detentions, Umbridge has made me write lines with a blood quill." He winced and waited for Sirius to explode.

_"Umbridge!?" _The yell had come from a direction Harry hadn't expected, and he turned to see Lupin with a look of mingled fury and horror on his face. Harry remembered that it was Umbridge that had made it practically impossible for him to get a job. Sirius growled (sounding rather like his dog counterpart) and started pacing the room.

Harry watched them worriedly for a few seconds before speaking. "Look, I know it sounds bad, but we can't do anything to stop it! Not without-"

"Can't do anything?" Lupin interrupted. "Why ever not, Harry? What she's doing is torture!"

Harry could feel anger rising in him and raised his voice. "What she's doing is testing me! Making me feel weak to see if I'll snap, but I _won't."_

He clenched his fists. Lupin didn't understand - it wasn't just Umbridge trying to show him who's boss, it was about Harry showing that she couldn't bother him. What good would it do to whine to the teachers? All that would show was that he was a little kid who can't deal with his own problems.

"Besides, you've promised that you wouldn't do anything." He said, sensing that they were about to argue with him.

Sirius stopped pacing and stared. The anger had more or less gone from his features, but what was left was a fierce determination. Harry wasn't sure which bothered him more.

"No Harry, I promised I wouldn't do anything stupid, and what I'm thinking of isn't a stupid thing to do at all. " He grinned slightly in what seemed to be realisation. "Anyway, _I _might have promised you, but you said nothing about _Remus_."

Harry turned to Lupin in shock and saw him getting to his feet.

"Wait. Where are you going?" Harry said, leaping up and catching hold of his wrist.

Sirius snorted. "Where do you think he's going? Up to Hogwarts to get beat some sense into Umbridge!"

"Lupin, you can't, you don't understand."

"Harry, I'm not going to duel your Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher." To Harry's increasing annoyance, Lupin was smiling slightly. "I'm just going to speak to Dumbledore."

Harry couldn't help but laugh bitterly. He let go of Lupin's wrist and sat back down on his bed. "Like Dumbledore would care."

He was shot a sharp, slightly reproachful look from Lupin. "Harry-"

"What? I've been trying to talk to him since the beginning of the year and all he's done is ignore me and run away." He said. He knew he sounded like a spoilt child, but he could find it in himself to care. The only thing he was worried about at the moment was making sure Umbridge didn't find out he'd told people - he didn't want to lose.

He could feel the last few nights of little sleep catching up with him and he rested his head in his hands, eyes closed. How could he explain it to Sirius and Lupin if he barely understood it? All he knew was that if Umbridge won, he wouldn't have the strength to fight her anymore, and if he wasn't standing up to her what else could he do? He'd practically given up hope that people would start believing him about Voldemort. He felt the mattress move as Lupin sat beside him.

"Harry, Dumbledore cares for you. If he really is ignoring you then I'm sure he has his reasons." He spoke gently, as if he could sense how tired Harry had suddenly become.

"I don't want to tell him." Harry insisted.

Lupin sighed and Harry felt him shift slightly.

"How about Professor McGonagall then?" He sounded defeated and Harry raised his head. He was once again struck by how tired and old Lupin looked.

"I've actually considered that," (well, Hermione and Ron had anyway) "but I don't think that's possible. Do you really think Umbridge will stand for McGonagall being able to discipline her? She's "High Inquisitor" remember?" He wouldn't have told her anyway, but he didn't feel the need to tell Lupin this. He couldn't bring himself to make him look even more concerned for him.

He could see in Lupin's face that he knew this was true, as he looked to Sirius for anything extra they could say to persuade Harry. Unseen by Harry, Sirius did a tiny shrug before moving forward to crouch down in front of where Harry sat.

"Harry, just promise me you really will try to stay out of trouble with her from now on, and if you _do _get into another detention... just _tell _Dumbledore!"

Harry just stared at him for a moment before nodding. At least this way he hadn't explicitly said he promised - he would just make sure Sirius didn't find out if he had another detention.

Sirius smiled tiredly and stood up as Harry stifled a yawn.

"Why don't you stay up here for a while. I'll tell the others that you're just tired." Sirius said, moving to the door with Lupin close behind him.

He lay down and closed his eyes, grateful for the excuse to put off the questions of the others.

Harry had just planned to close his eyes for ten minutes, so it came as a surprise when he opened them and it was dark. He could hear Ron snoring. He was lying still for a moment, trying to work out what woke him, when he noticed the door was ajar. Thinking Kreacher had stuck into their room, he reached over for the lamp switch, only to swiftly pull back under the sheets when he felt a lick on his hand. He gasped loudly.

A playful whine sounded - very loud in the quiet room and Harry chuckled in relief.

"Hey, Sirius." He whispered tiredly. The shaggy black dog jumped onto the bed and curled up by his feet. For the first time since he'd had the dream of Mr Weasley, Harry felt oddly light and free, like a great weight had been lifted off his chest. With the comforting weight of Sirius on his feet, Harry slowly drifted back off into a nightmare free sleep.

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**A/N:** So there it is! I'm don't really know whether Harry lying to Sirius (about telling Dumbledore if he had another detention) was the right thing to do, but I think I managed to round it off nicely with him no longer having the detention nightmares. Constructive criticism please!


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